Locking device



Jan. 18, 1944. WEBER 2,339,591

LOCKING DEViCE Filed May 22, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet l pa ,1 ll ///A INVENTOR.

/l /c//oz A5 WEB Q 5 (JAM A TTOR/VEYS Jan. 18, 1944. N. WEBER LOCKING DEVICE Filed May 22, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. /1//C//0,4$ WEBER MAWW 5 dm a .6 a EJ I Q F 7 v w M a w W k Jan. 18, 1944. N. WEBIER 2,339,591

LOCKING DEVICE Fi'led llay 22, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3' INVENTOR. flow/04,45 WEBER BY vmm sw mama n. 18, 194

, LOOKING mmca Nicholaa'webr, Teaneck, N. J. Application May 22,1942. sci-inns. 444,123 14 Claims. (01. 24-221 This invention relates to a locking device and refers more particularly to a fastening device which is designed to connect. together sheet elements made of metal or the like, and which may be used as a lock for covers, doors, hoods, and various other articles.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a simple locking construction which wm be of inexpensive manufacture and whichmay be readily actuated by hand or by suitable tools to make a rigid connection which will not become loose even though subjected to considerable vibration and which may be utilized ior lengthytime periods without excessive damage or breakage.

Another object is the provision of a locking device which requires a minimumof space, all parts being concentrated around the key.

Other objects are obvious or will appear in the course of the following specification.

In accomplishing the objects oi the present invention it was found most satisfactory to provide a key member having recessed or projecting portions adapted to cooperate with projecting or recessed elements constituting a part of a lock. The lock may include a coil spring carried by a supporting plate and carrying a ring which may be provided with the aforesaid projecting or recessed elements. The interengaging parts of the lock and key may include inclined sliding surfaces as well as recesses or pockets for the locking of the projecting parts. The coil spring may becompressed solely during the locking. or it may be always maintained under tension by arms constituting a part of the supporting plate. The locking projections of the device may consist of small inclined pieces forming a part of the ring, or they may consist ofa transverse pin carried by the key, the ring or the spring.

The invention will appear moreclearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the, accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, preferred embodiments of the inventive idea.

In the drawings:

Figures 1 to show one type of locking construction, Figure 1 being a rear view oi the locking construction in an unlatched position.

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, the key being shown separately and in side elevation. x g I Figure 3 is a section along the line3--3 of Figure 1. with the key removed.

Figure 4 is similar to Figure 2, but shows the key in its locking or latched position.

Figure 5 is a section through the key along the Y linel-loiFlgure 2.

Figures 6 to show an alternative embodiment wherein the spring is always held under tension, Figure 6 being a rear view of the lock.

Figure 7 shows the construction partly in side elevation and partly in section.

- coil spring.

Figure 8 is a section along the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is similar to Figure 8 and shows key in the locking position.

Figure 10 shows in front elevation the supporting plate carrying spring-tensioning arms.

Figures 11' to 14 show yet another embodiment of a locking construction, Figure 11- being a rear view. a

the

Figure 12 is partly a side elevationand partly a section along the line l2-l2 01 Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a section along the line I 3-4 3 of Figurell.

Figure 14 is a perspective view illustrating the key and the ring member cooperating therewith. Figures 15 to 18 show a locking construction of yet another type, Figure 15 being a. longitudinal section through the lock, the key being shown in side elevation.

Figure 16 shows the construction in side elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow is in Figure 15. r Figure 17 is a top view of the ring carrying a locking pin.

Figure 18 is a section through the key. Figure 19 illustrates in top view a construction wherein a locking pin constitutes a part of a The locking device shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprises a resilient lock generally designated by the numeral 2| and carried upon a main plate or part 20. A movable plate or part '22 is adapted to be locked with the plate 20 by a key 23.

The plates 20 and 22 are provided with alined openings 25 and 24, respectively, which may receive the key 23. The opening 25 is enclosed by a flange 30 of a supporting-plate 21 which carries a coil spring 26 and which is attached by rivets 28 and 23 to the plate 20. A lug or tongue 32 is cut out of the plate 21 and is bent over the innermost coil of the spring 28 to hold the spring inplace. I V

A ring 33 is carried by the outer and coil of the spring 23 and, has a tubular flange portion 34 situated within that coil, while lugs 35 and 3B which are a part 01 the ring, extend around the coil and hold the ring 33 firmly in place. The ring 33 carries two'inwardly projecting elements 31 and 38'which are situated diametrically opposite each other. The projection 31 has a key-engaging surface 33 which is inwardly inclined in the direction from the left hand side of Figure 2 to its right hand side. The projection 38 has a key-engaging surface 48 which is inclined in the opposite direction, as indicated by broken lines in Figure 4, which shown that planes passing through these surfaces will intersect each other substantially in the middle.

The key 23 is provided with a wide base 4| having a slot 42 which may be operated by a screw driver or the like. The cylindrical shank 43 of the key 23 has two similar wide grooves or or pocket 5| and an inclined portion 52 which joins a longitudinal recess.

In operation, the device may be locked by inserting the key 23 into the openings 24 and 26 and inside the spring 26, the projections 31 and 38 being situated in the recesses 45 and 44 respectively of the key. After the key has been inserted to its full extent, it is turned so that the projections 31 and 38 enter the grooves 46 and 41 and rest finally in the recesses or pockets 6| thereof. The coil spring 26 is somewhat compressed during this locking operation which provides a firm and rigid lock.

The locking device illustrated in Figures 6 to 10 comprises a supporting plate 68 which is attached by rivets 28 and 28 to the main plate 28. The plate 28 has the opening 25 which is in alignment wtih the opening 24 oil the other main plate 22. The supporting plate 68 has the round flange 6| enclosing the opening 25, and a cut out tongue or lug 62 which embraces and holds the and coil of a coil spring 63. The plate 68 is provided with two arms 64 and 65.

The arm 64 has a narrow recessed portion 66 and a wider top portion 11. The arm 65' has a similar narrower portion 68 and a wider top 18. The two arms 64 and 65 are somewhat bent along the lines 61 (Fig, 10) when the plate 68 is'being mounted upon the plate 28, as illustrated in Figure 8. Then the arms 64 and 85 are bent further, so that they extend at right angles to the plate 68 and so that their recessed portions 66 and 68 enter recesses 18 and 1| provided in an upper plate or ring member 12.

The ring member 12 has a tubular flange 13 which is situated within the outer coil of the spring 63. This coil of the spring is connected to the' ring member 12 by means of lugs or tongues 68 and 14. The ring member 12 is also provided with inner key-engaging projections 15 and 16 which are similar to the projections 31 and 38 01' Figures 1 and 3.

The ring 12 is held firmly on both sides by the arms 64 and 65. The upper wider portions 11 and 18 of these arms are situated above the recesses 18 and 1| and cause the ring member 12 to exert a compressive force upon the spring 63.

Thus the purpose or the arms 64 and 66 is to hold the coil spring 83 through the ring 12 under 1 any desired initial compression and also to pre-. vent the ring 12 from turning when the key is turned.

The key 23 may be 01' the same form as the one described in the construction shown in Figures 1 to 5.

In operation, the key 23 is inserted into th openings 24,.and 25 and inside the coil spring 63 with the recesses 44 and 45 of the key receiving the projections 16, 15, respectively, oi the ring member 12. Then the key 23 is turned so that the projections 15 and 16 will be situated-within the pockets provided in the transverse grooves 46 and 41 of the key.

The advantage of this construction is that the arms 64 and 66 maintain the spring 63 always under tension, the compression oi the spring 63 being increased when the device is locked, so that a very firm and rigid lock is provided. Another advantage is that the torque exerted by turning the'key is taken up by the arms so that there is a minimum of angular movement of the ring 12,

The locking device shown in the Figures 11 to 14 comprises a supporting plate 88 which is similar in form to the plate 68 and which is connected by rivets 28 and 28 with a main plate 28. The supporting plate 88 has a flange 8| which is situated above the opening 25 of the plate 28 and which is situated within an end coil of a coil spring 83. The flange 8| and the adjacent portions of the plate 88 are provided with narrow recesses 82 and 83 situated diametrically opposite each other and providing a passage for a locking pin 84 which is carried by a key 85. The opening 25 is provided with similar recesses 86 and 81, while the opening 24 of the main plate 22 also has similar recesses 88 and 89. It is apparent that the recesses 82, 86 and 88 are in alignment with each other, whilethe recesses 83, 81 and 88 are also in alignment. I

The key 85 has a wider head 88 having a slot 8| for a screw-driver, while the shank 92 of the key consists of a smooth cylindrical body carrying the pin 84. v

The coil spring 83 which is mounted upon the plate 88, ha an upper coil which is held by lugs 94 and 85 of an upper plate or ring member 86,

' The ring 86 has recesses 81 and 88 which'contain the upper ends 98 and I 88 of the arms |8| and I82. These arms are similar to the arms 64 and 66 and are integral with the plate 88.

The ring 86 has a flange portion I83 which is divided by diametrically opposed recesses I84 and I85. The upper edges of the flange I83 are used for locking the pin 84 of the key 85, and for this purpose these upper edges have inclined portions I86 and I81 situated adjacent the recesses I84 and I85, as well as pockets I88 and I88 which are adapted to receive the ends of the locking pin 84.

In operation, the key is inserted through the openings 24 and 25 and into the interior of the spring 83, with the ends of the locking pin 84 passing through the recesses 88, 86, 82, I84, and 88, 81, 83, I85. Then the key 85 is turned with the ends of the pin 84 sliding upon the edges I86 and I81 of the flange I83, and fitting into the assasei I '2 l .3

convenient operation than the cutting of grooves 46 and 4: m the key 2: of Figure 5.

The locking device shown in Figure 15 to 18 of the drawings includes a supporting plate IIO which is attached by rivets 28 and 20 ta a main 5 plate 20. The supporting plate II 0 has two arms III and I I2, the upper ends of which have longitudinal slots m and m which receive the ends of a locking pin III. In this construction, the

locking pin II! is connected to an upper ring H8 by spot welding or the like (Fig. .17). The

' ring -I I0 is provided with an inner tubular flange \I I1 enclosed by the upper coil of the spring Ill. The lower coil of-the spring I I8 encloses a tubular flange I I9 which is integral with the plate I I0. P

The key I of this construction has a recess or slot I2I which extends across the entire .upper end of the tubular shank I22 of the key I20. The transverse recess I2I communicates with transverse grooves I28 and I24 which have inclinedgo surfaces I25 and pockets I26 receiving the pin H5. 4

In operation, the key I20 is inserted through the openings of the plates 22 and 20 and into the interior of the coil spring iii, the recess I2I of 25 the key I20 receiving the transverse pin I I0. As already stated. the pin 5 the ends of which are situated in slots H3 and H6, is firmly connected with the ring 6 which is carried upon the coil spring H8. When the key I20 is tumedthe in- 3 clined surfaces I25 of the grooves I23 and I2! will slide upon the pin which will rest inthe pockets I26.

In this construction, the locking pin I I0 constitutes a part of the lock, while the shank I22 of the key I20 has no projecting portions. 7 A locking pin may constitute a part of a coiled spring, instead of being a part of the ring carried by the spring. This alternative embodiment is illustrated in Figure 19 which shows a coiled 4 spring I30, the upper coil of which is bent diametrically to form a transverse locking pin I3I. In other respects this embodiment may be of the same form as the ones previously described.

It is apparent that the specific illustrations shown above have been given'by way of illustration and not by way of limitation and that the structures above described are subject to wide variations and modifications without departing from the scope or intent of the invention, all of m which variations and modifications are to be included within the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fastening device for a plurality of parts with openings, a lock comprising a supporting plate carried by one of said parts, a coil spring member carried by said plate, a ring member carried by said 6011 spring member, means carried by one of said members for locking engagement with correspondingly shaped parts of a key in- 5" serted through said openings, and means connected with said plate and engaging said ring member to prevent torsional movement thereof during locking.

2. In a fastening device for a plurality of parts alinement with said openings and comprisin surfaces adapted to engage parts of a key inserted through said openings.

3. In a fastening device for a plurality of parts with openings, a lock comprising a supporting plate carried byone of said parts, a coil spring by the key.

4. In a fastening devicefor a plurality of parts I with openings, a lock comprising a supporting plate carried by one of said parts, a coil spring carried by said plate, and a ring member carried. by said coil spring, said ring member being in alinement with said openings and comprising at least one inwardly directed projection for en-'- gagement with recesses. of a key inserted through said openings, whereby said spring is compressed 5. In a fastening device for a pluralityof parts with openings, a lock comprising a supporting plate carried by one of said parts, a coil spring carried by said plate, and a ring member carried by said coil spring, said ring member being in alinement with said openings and comprising two inwardly directed projections situated diametrically opposite each other and having surfaces which are inclined in opposite directions and which are adapted to engage recesses of a key in- 'serted'through said openings and turned therein.

whereby said spring is compressed by the key.-

6. A key for locking a fastening device described in claim 5, said key comprising a cylindrical shank portion having formed therein recesses esrtendingin the.longitudinal direction of I the key to the end of said shank portion, and two grooves extending transversely to said direction. each of said grooves having inclined surfaces adjacent a separate recess and a pocket for receiving one of the projections of the fastening device, said shank portion having a web separating the two grooves.

'7. In a fastening device for a plurality of parts with openings, a lock comprising a supporting plate carried by one of'said parts, a coil spring carried by said plate, and a ring member carried 5 by said coil spring, said supporting plate comprising two arms situated opposite each other and having recessed portions, said ring member being in alinement with said openings and having recesses formed therein and receiving the recessed portions of said arms and further having surfaces adapted to engage parts of a key inserted through said openings and turned therein, whereby said coil spring is compressed by the key.

9. In a fastening device for a plurality of parts with openings, a lock comprising a supporting plate carried by one of said parts, a coil spring carried by said plate, and a ring member carried by said coil spring, said ring member comprising a flange portion which is in alignment with said openings and which comprises edges adapted to be engaged by a pin of a key inserted through said openings and turned therein, whereby said coil spring is compressed by the key.

10. In a fastening device for a plurality of parts with openings, a lock comprising a supporting plate carried by one of said parts, a coilspring carried by said plate, and a ring member carried by said coil spring, said supporting plate comprising two arms situated opposite each other, said ring member having recesses termed therein and receiving said arms and further having a flange portion which is in alinement with said openings and which comprises edges adapted to be engaged by a pin of a key inserted through said openings and turned therein, whereby said coil spring is compressed by the key.

11. In a fastening device for a plurality of parts with openings, a lock comprising a supporting plate carried-by one of said parts, a coil spring carried by said plate, and a ring member carried by said coil spring, said ring member comprising a flange portion which extends in the direction of the coil spring and which is in alinement with said openings, said flange portion having edges which comprise two pockets, inclined portions adjacent said pockets and recesses adjacent said inclined portions for receiving the ends of a pin carried by a key inserted through said openings and turned therein, whereby said coil spring is compressed by the key.

- 12. In a fastening device for a plurality of parts with openings, a lock comprising a supporting plate carried by one of said parts, a coil spring carried by said plate, and a ring member carried by said coil spring, said ring member comprising a flange portion which extends in the direction of the coil spring and which is in alinement with said openings, said flange portion having edges which comprise two pockets, inclined portions adjacent said pockets and recesses adjacent said inclined portions for receiving the ends of a pin carried by a key, said two parts and said supporting plate having recesses formed therein for the passage of said ends of the pin, said key being adapted to be inserted through said openings and turned therein after the passage of the pin ends, whereby said coil spring is compressed by the key.

13s In a fastening device for a plurality of parts with openings, a lock comprising a supporting plate carried by one of said parts, a coil spring carried by said plate, a ring member carried by said coil spring, and a pin carried by said ring member, and being adapted to be engaged by recesses of a key inserted through said openings member and having ends projecting beyond said ring member, said supporting plate comprising arms having openings formed therein and receiving said ends, said pin being adapted to be engaged by recesses. of a key inserted through said openings and turned therein, whereby said coil spring is compressed by the key. v

NICHOLAS WEBER. 

